Prepare to revolutionize your dinner routine with a mouthwatering dish that combines the comfort of classic pasta with a fresh, vibrant twist! This Pasta with Sausage Zucchini Spirals isn't just another recipe – it's a culinary adventure that transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary meal. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you want to impress dinner guests, this Italian-inspired creation promises to tantalize your taste buds and add excitement to your dining table.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta of choice
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 2 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, typically 8-10 minutes.
- While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove Italian sausage from its casing and crumble into the skillet.
- Cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until it's fully browned and no pink remains, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Spiralize the zucchini using a spiralizer or vegetable noodle maker, creating long, thin noodle-like strands.
- Once sausage is cooked, drain excess fat from the skillet, leaving a small amount for flavor.
- Add spiralized zucchini to the skillet with the sausage and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
- Drain the cooked pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water, and return pasta to the pot.
- Add marinara sauce to the sausage and zucchini mixture, stirring to combine and heat through.
- Pour the sausage and zucchini mixture over the pasta, tossing gently to coat evenly. If needed, add reserved pasta water to help sauce adhere.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle freshly chopped basil over the top.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnishing with additional basil if desired.
Tips
- Zucchini Spiral Success: When spiralizing zucchini, aim for consistent, thin strands. Pat the zucchini noodles with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, ensuring they don't make your dish watery.
- Sausage Selection: Choose high-quality Italian sausage for maximum flavor. Remove the casing to get those perfect, crispy crumbles that add depth to the dish.
- Al Dente is Key: Don't overcook your pasta! The perfect texture comes from cooking just until tender with a slight bite.
- Sauce Binding Trick: Reserve some pasta water before draining. The starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta and creates a silkier texture.
- Fresh Herb Magic: Add fresh basil at the very end to preserve its bright flavor and aromatic qualities.
- One-Pan Wonder: This recipe minimizes cleanup by using the same skillet for sausage and zucchini, maximizing flavor and convenience.Pro Tip: For a lighter version, you can use turkey sausage, and for extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when cooking the sausage!
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 492kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: 23g
Fat: g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: 40mg
